May 19, 2023
Pastor’s Reflections – May 19, 2023
Good Morning Friends and Neighbors:
As we head into the weekend, I am writing to share a few highlights, updates, thoughts and reflections with you. I am filled with gratitude for this community and the compassion and generosity I am blessed to see every day. It is inspiring to see how everyone takes care of one another and is often what helps to turn the sadness into hope. So often, we all shy away, and I mean far away, from an idea or expression of evangelism. It is something that does not come easy to many of us; however, I think it is because we define evangelism in a narrow way. If I were to ask you what evangelism looks like, I bet you’d recall images of bible thumping pastors, memories of hiding from missionaries who come to your door to “convert” you and your family, and nightmares of awkward conversations about being saved or a sinner or something awful like that……But, while these expressions of evangelizing may have a place for some people, they surely don’t define evangelism for all. To me, evangelism looks more like this:
Offering compassion and understanding to someone without expectation of anything in return
Showing up for a friend, a colleague, or someone you don’t really know, or someone you don’t really get along with, and offering to that person what they need in that moment without expectation of anything in return.
Forgiving someone; even if they don’t “deserve” it.
Finding something to love in all other people; especially those who are hardest for you to love.
Looking over this list, I bet you are much more of an evangelist than you may have originally thought! Think on that for a bit!
Looking Back Over the Week
Lots of work in the Food Pantry!
The NCC Food Pantry began our journey to become a NH Food Bank gold star rated pantry and through the efforts of lots of people, a major milestone in the process was achieved on Thursday. We served our shoppers from this freshly painted, newly organized space with a glass front fridge & freezer purchased through a grant awarded by Kennebunk Savings. This new set up enables shoppers to have a self-service experience and significantly simplifies operations, to name just a couple of the many benefits we are anticipating. We have more work to do, and anticipate we will further refine the process, but Thursday was a big day. We are grateful and excited!
Thank you to everyone who helped get us here today, especially our pantry coordinators, George Willant and Toni Weinstein, and the many faithful volunteers who dedicate hours and hours of time to this mission to decrease food insecurity in Newmarket and Newfields. We will be scheduling a grand re-opening and ribbon cutting event in the near future and look forward to providing a tour!
The preparation supporting the June 4th Special Meeting Announcement
I continue to be inspired by this community of faith as I’ve experienced the prayerful and thoughtful work of the Executive Council in their preparation for the special meeting our moderator, Deb Grochmal, invited everyone to on June 4th at 11:15am. After hours of research, many meetings, even more prayer by this team, I look forward to our first informational session on Sunday, May 21st right after church.
NCC Music News! Submitted by Elaine Pratt
Have you ever wanted to sing in a church choir? Come join us at our rehearsals on Thursdays at 7 pm in the sanctuary! The NCC Choir will be singing two more times before our summer break – on Sunday, May 28 and Sunday, June 11. On May 28 we’ll be singing the rousing spiritual ‘God’s Gonna Set This World on Fire’ for Pentecost Sunday, and on June 11 we’ll be singing the beautiful ‘Even Here’ by contemporary composer Mark Miller. You don’t have to make a long-term commitment – give it a try!
In April, Dave Talmage, Elaine Pratt, Suellen Leugers, Mary Burson, Kate Steer, and Linda Longe began working together as a team to design a blend of music genres in each worship service including at least two from the following list of genres and delivery styles:
Hymns from the Hymnal on piano or guitar
Choir pieces from the NCC library or other SATB pieces with piano, organ, or guitar
Contemporary using guitar and/or other instruments usually performed by one or two people, some all congregational sung as well.
Classical - with piano or organ
Music for the Young at Heart – Music that may or may not be hymnal based, but reaches a younger audience, ie: Every Critter Has a Place in the Choir
If you have some favorite songs you’d like to suggest, please let a member of the team know. Music is an integral part of worship, and we want ours to be as meaningful as possible!
Looking Ahead
There is more I could list here, these are a few highlights. For a full list of events at NCC, please check out our website.
This Sunday (May 21st) 10AM!
In Acts 1:6-14 we recount Jesus ascending to heaven forty days after he was resurrected. In his final moments with the disciples, he tells them about the power they will be given through the Holy Spirit to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. How might that Holy Spirit power be seen amongst us today? I look forward to talking about it with you on Sunday and, I think Dave has a few tricks up his musical sleeve for you all too, but I better leave that as a surprise for you!
Hope you can join one of the Special Meeting Informational Sessions planned as follows:
Sunday May 21st immediately following worship in the fellowship hall
Sunday May 28th immediately following worship in the fellowship hall
Tuesday May 30th at 7:30PM via video conference using Video call link: VIDEO CALL LINK
Sunday May 28th 10AM is Pentecost Sunday!
Hope you can join us for this special Sunday as we share the story once more of the Holy Spirit coming down on the disciples and the people gathered with them. This is considered the birthday of the church and the special liturgical color for that day is RED – so come to church on the 28th wearing red and join in for Pentecost Sunday!
Tuesday May 30th 6:30PM Newmarket Memorial Day Parade!
Join in to remember and honor, and to hear our own David Ripley sing the National Anthem for Memorial Day this year. Keep your eye on the town website for updates and more details.
Pre-Pride Parade Pizza Party at Durham Community Church (DCC) Thursday June 22 @ 6PM
Our friends at DCC have invited us to gather together for pizza and connection and to make signs and swag for the Portsmouth Pride Parade, (which is on Saturday June 24th at 12:30PM). They will have everything needed, and, (if you would like to add to the variety of supplies, we’re welcome to do so). To join in, sign up here: http://evite.me/qvxfTXwEKZ
DCC has also invited us to join in their t-shirt order if we’d like. We can do so by using this link and a photo of what the t-shirt looks like is below: https://ccdurham-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/kristinf_ccdurham_org/EWjrrZp0md9Ag7xfwMA-fS4BtdIusyfz9kMxcyOmj80s1Q?e=2DcyCX
I hope to see you soon my dear community of faith.
With Peace and Love,
Pastor Patty
